A. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to computing systems. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to creating ad-hoc networks for mobile users.
B. Description of Related Art
Mobile computer users experience difficulty in exchanging information when not connected to a wireless infrastructure. Despite complex networking and computational abilities of today's mobile computing devices, people often rely on ancillary items to exchange data, including but not limited to USB keys and infrared ports. While having the hardware to communicate between local computers or share a resource (for example, a camera or internet connectivity), this potential is not used for a variety of reasons including the difficulty in creating the network to the low acceptance of applications that permit such networking.
A solution to the need for local connectivity is an ad-hoc network. The use of the ad-hoc network involves three steps: 1) creating the ad-hoc network, 2) discovering other resources and/or other users, and 3) using applications that leverage the discovered resources/users to use the ad-hoc network. For purposes herein, an ad-hoc network is a temporary, private network that may be used for a specific purpose in the absence of any network resource such as a wireless access point. A variety of protocols may be used to establish an ad-hoc network including WiFi and the IEEE 802.11* series of protocols, Bluetooth, and the like.
One concern with conventional systems is the current multi-step process needed to create an ad-hoc network. Unfortunately, the process to follow to create the wireless network is not readily apparent or easy to use for the common user. Without the establishment of the ad-hoc network, applications (including collaborative applications) that make use of the network do not function to their potential.
Also, a problem with conventional approaches is that there is no public way for independent software vendors (ISVs) to create ad-hoc networks. In response, some ISVs (for example, Colligo of Vancouver BC Canada) have created proprietary pathways for communication with low level components directly, thereby bypassing an operating system's user experience (for interacting with the operating system and other applications that leverage the operating system's user experience), the operating system's support features, and the operating system's diagnostics.
In some situations, a resources is not available to users who may wish to create an ad-hoc network. These situations include:    a. No available resources (or infrastructure). This may occur during impromptu meetings between users not tied to a specific location. While the number of wireless hotspots is increasing around the world, the number of hotspots will always trail behind the locations where users want to connect to one another.    b. No subscription to an available hotspot. Hotspots have different providers. The different providers each have their own subscription services. In a number of cases, a user may not be subscribed to a particular hotspot.    c. Fees. Even if a user is subscribed to a hotspot and has access to the hotspot's capabilities, the user may desire to avoid using the hot spot to minimize fees associated with the hotspot.    d. Privacy or security—Ad-hoc networks can also be used to provide a level of privacy and security. For instance, one may wish to have a local connection to, for instance, a printer and not desire to expose it to others on a network. This leads to a collection of devices where some may exist in an ad-hoc connection mode while others exist in an infrastructure node. Management of these devices using conventional techniques is cumbersome.
An improved ad-hoc network creation and use system is needed.